will.i.am Producing Britney Spears' Eighth Studio Album

Britney Spears has been busy since her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale, dropped in 2011. The veteran pop star went through a pretty public break-up, as well as judged and mentored on the second season of The X Factor. Now, however, she’s back in the studio and she’s working with a pretty close friend on her new album. Solo artist and former Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am has signed on to produce Spears’ eighth studio album.

The two have worked together a lot in the past, including the track “Big Fat Bass,” which appears on Femme Fatale and on will.i.am’s more recent single “Scream & Shout.” Additionally, will.i.am helped Spears to pick her team during The X Factor. The singer told Rolling Stone that he’s been meeting with Spears for months in order to get the vibe of the new album right.

“OK, look, guys, me and Britney need to have lunch four times a month for three months before I even try to go in the studio with her. Because we need to talk. We need to talk about what she's excited about in life…I gotta be the vehicle between her and her fans…We can't do another song about going on the dance floor. Really? Didn't we see a bunch of Britney doing that already? Don't we want to see something that comes from her heart?"

We’ve known Spears has been working on a new album for a while now, so will.i.am’s timeline of working and lunching with the singer makes sense. Apparently, the two finally put together a session only recently and will.i.am says the sound was “amazing.” Currently, there are no details about the new album beyond the will.i.am is producing, but keep your eyes peeled over the next few months for more news about Spears’ newest endeavor.